The Red Location Museum resides in New Brighton township, a historic area that once served as a Boer concentration camp before becoming one of the earliest urban settlements for Black people. The museum was inaugurated on 10 November 2006 to honour those who fought against Apartheid. Its design by Jo Noero challenges traditional museum layouts, encouraging visitors to engage actively with the exhibits rather than passively consume them.

The structure comprises twelve corrugated iron boxes, each measuring 6 x 6 x 12 metres, inspired by migrant workers' storage units. Within these spaces are found an auditorium, library, art gallery, and a memorial area dedicated to local heroes of the liberation struggle. Despite plans for an adjoining tomb for notable struggle figures Raymond Mhlaba and Govan Mbeki, the project was not completed due to family opposition.

The museum's innovative design garnered international recognition, including the World Leadership Award for Public Architecture in 2005 and the Lubetkin Prize from the Royal Institute of British Architects in 2010. However, since October 2013, it has been closed due to community protests over housing conditions, leading to vandalism and theft at the site.